Arrive Alive Women?s Super League Competition ? Withdrawal of Bankstown Wildcats
It is with the utmost regret Football NSW advises that due to notification received from the Bankstown District Amateur Football Association on Friday evening 20 March, that they are unable to meet the criteria for participation in the Arrive Alive Women?s Super League competition, Bankstown Wildcats will not be a part of the competition in 2009.
Football NSW has made every attempt to assist Bankstown District Amateur Football Association in their efforts to meet criteria, including the extension of deadlines from the original submission date of 12 December 2008, on eight separate occasions.
However it is now clearly obvious that from the number of players registered by Bankstown District Amateur Football Association at close of business on Thursday 19 March 2009 that the Bankstown Wildcats would have struggled in some teams to take the field with sufficient numbers to be competitive and in particular the Under 12 team was non-existent.
Due to the hard work by Football NSW and some Member Clubs to assist the Bankstown District Amateur Football Association in meeting the participation criteria in time for the commencement of the Women?s Super League competition, Football NSW may have left itself open to some criticism in that it is now not probable that the clubs that were not accepted towards the end of the 2008 season will not be able to fill this vacancy at such short notice.
This competition may now have a bye and an amended draw will be issued early this week, prior to the commencement of the Women?s Super League next Sunday 29 March 2009.
In advance of the competition commencing, we apologise for the probability of a bye which will deprive teams competing in the Arrive Alive Women?s Super League of two competition matches during the season. On reflection, it could be argued by some parties that Football NSW should have taken a regulatory approach and excluded the Bankstown District Amateur Football Association from the competition at an earlier point, rather than trying to assist the Association meet their commitment.
The issue of the overall number of teams competing in the Arrive Alive Women?s Super League and the competitive balance within the competition will be subject to a referral to the Standing Committee for Women?s Football.
Football NSW will be in contact with all Clubs competing in the Arrive Alive Women?s super League early in the week to confirm team participation numbers.
